The House of Representatives today passed H.R. 4412, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2014, and S. 1254, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2013.
H.R. 4412 authorizes funding for one year and provides policy direction for NASA.
Ranking Member of the Full Committee, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), said of the bill, "This Act has come a long way from its original state nearly a year ago when the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on which I serve as Ranking Member passed a different version of the bill on a party-line vote--a departure from the Committee's traditional bipartisan approach to NASA. However, much has changed since that time, and I want to recognize the efforts of the Committee leadership, including Chairman Lamar Smith and especially Space Subcommittee Chairman Steven Palazzo and Ranking Member Donna Edwards, for their dedication and willingness to work together with me to achieve this bipartisan Committee-passed bill, H.R. 4412, the NASA Authorization Act of 2014. While this is not a perfect bill, especially in terms of its short duration and lack of meaningful funding guidance, the bill in its present form includes many important policy provisions that help guide the future of NASA at a critical time for our space program."
Space Subcommittee Ranking Member, Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), said, "NASA is recognized across the world as a symbol of our greatness as a nation and for leadership in science and technology. In Maryland, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center supports more than 15,000 civil service and private sector jobs, including highly skilled occupations such as engineers, technicians, mathematicians, and scientists. NASA also collaborates extensively with Maryland's high-tech business sector. These collaborations encourage the expansion of the skilled workforce that has made Maryland a leader in research and technology and grown our state's economy. The NASA Authorization Act of 2014 builds on the bipartisan support that Congress has given NASA as a multi-mission agency with programs in space and Earth science, aeronautics, human spaceflight, and exploration. This bill provides important policy direction that will strengthen our nation's space program in Maryland and across our country. I look forward to Senate action and getting this bill to the President for his signature."
S. 1254 reauthorizes the Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Act. Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when colonies of algae grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people, fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. The bill maintains and enhances an interagency program led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which will be responsible for promoting a national strategy to help communities understand, predict, control and mitigate freshwater and marine HAB and hypoxia events; enhancing, coordinating, and assessing the activities of existing HABs and hypoxia programs; providing for development of a comprehensive research plan and action strategy, including a regional approach to understanding and responding to HAB events; and requiring an assessment and plan for Great Lakes HABs and hypoxia.
Ms. Johnson said in her statement on S.1254, "Harmful Algal Blooms can have serious economic and public health effects. Shellfish beds along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Coasts are often closed during a major event to protect the public from significant respiratory distress, shellfish poisoning, and other illnesses. The economic impact these closures can have on the shellfish industry and tourism is quite large. A single event can cost a coastal community tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue. And while NOAA and the research community have made great strides since the establishment of this program the need for continued research and tools to lessen the impact of these events is greater than ever before. More accurate and efficient tools for detecting toxins, early warning of blooms, better predictions of bloom movement, methods for controlling outbreaks, and the development of local and regional partnerships will all allow for a more effective response."
Subcommittee on Environment Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) said, "Authorization for the programs under the Harmful Algal Bloom Research and Control Act expired in 2010, so this reauthorization is long overdue. The rapid overproduction of algae can have devastating effects on aquatic plants and animals as well as on human health. For coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems and communities that depend on fishing and tourism to sustain their economies, the effect of algae blooms is a threat to their livelihood. The cost of these blooms has been estimated to be around $82 million dollars each year, a significant hit to the economy in areas that are still struggling to recover."
Ms. Bonamici continued later during her statement on the House floor, "The bill before us today...will not only improve coordination, but also assess the program's activities to ensure that we are prepared for these events and are able to respond in an effective manner. This will become increasingly important as coastal populations increase and changes in the environment, such as warmer water temperatures, have the potential to alter the growth, toxicity, and geographic distribution of algal blooms."
